Hogwarts Homecoming
by Hecatenna
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione weren't the last to drop out of Hogwarts. The Big Four ran away in their Third year but now they've been brought back in their Fifth Year. Will they be able to face what they ran from in the first place? Not like the others. Rated M for safety. Pairings are not set in stone, and the cover art is my own drawing :D


_Okay… I hope you guys like it! No, this has nothing to do with the Yule Ball or High School Homecomings. I'm sorry. I wanted it to be different from the other stories but I wasn't sure how so I came up with this._

_Summary: Hogwarts dropouts. Almost unheard of- in fact Harry, Hermione and Ron were the only dropouts in hundreds of years. Then the Big Four disappeared. They ran away from Hogwarts in their Third Year and were off the grid for a year. The papers had a field day. Then in what should have been their Fifth Year Professor McCarthy found them and brought them back. Merida, Jack, Rapunzel and Hiccup have to make up a year of learning and OWLS, figure out how to deal with the classmates and face what they ran from in the first place._

**The Daily Prophet**

_The Elusive Third Year Runaways Return!_

By Sally Hartwell

When the four Hogwarts students ran away from their school- a school that has been called the safest school in the world- the wizarding world was horrified and stunned. Why would they run away? Would they ever return? Luckily, the Daily Prophet has the top news for you. These students have returned- Jack Overland, Merida Dunbrough, Rapunzel Gothel and Hiccup Haddock have been found by Professor McCarthy. Unfortunately we were not able to get an interview. However, we have heard from a inside source very close to the "Big Four" that says, "They didn't feel safe enough at Hogwarts and felt that they would be better off in the world." We wonder what they're running from, but fear not loyal readers, we _will _find out!

**Rapunzel**

Hogwarts looked different to Rapunzel. It was no longer a warm comforting place to her. For years the school had been her second home, the only other place she felt safe in other than her tower room. Sometimes it made her feel trapped, but in the end her bedroom was the only place she could vent what she felt in privacy. Gothel was everywhere else, checking with security cameras and god knows what in any other room, Rapunzel thought bitterly.

Then again, to Hogwarts Rapunzel looked different. Gone was her long golden hair that trailed on the floor and made a mess of everything (but also was effective in Potions. It was a not very well kept secret that when making an antidote Rapunzel dipped a hank of her hair into her cauldron. The hair that was dipped turned a colorless white, but her antidotes always worked, even if she'd messed up _all _the other ingredients.) In it's place was a short choppy brown cut. Her head felt lighter, but her heart was so much heavier.

"Punz, don't get yer knickers in'a twist. It's just school." Rapunzel tried to smile at Merida, but she was so nervous that it turned into a grimace.

"Meri, we left. No one's left before. And we missed so much school. We have OWLS this year and everything and I haven't even studied-" Rapunzel's voice rose into a wail, "- and the blood. There was so much blood. How can I even go back to Divination? How can I face them?" Merida's face paled slightly at the memory but she stood firm.

"Ah won't let anythin happen ta yeh." Rapunzel sighed as their carriage neared the castle. Hiccup, who had been previously napping in the corner of the seat, was awoken with a swift kick from Merida. He jolted up, looked around, then said in a irritated voice,

"I'm so glad you care enough to kick me. Merlin's beard, it would have been careless to just, I dunno, shake my shoulder or something?" Jack snickered from the corner and said,

"How come being in the Muggle world hasn't toughened you up any?"

"Cause I was meant to be relaxing in luxury, not doing any work." Hiccup quipped in response. Merida laughed and snuggled into his shoulder. Ignoring Jack's and Punz's disgusted "Get a room!" Merida smiled at Hiccup before whispering in his ear gently,

"I always knew there was a reason I had more muscles that you." Hiccup leaped away from her and said in a mock offended voice,

"Merida! Your harsh words _really _hurt me, both physically and emotionally. Right here." He said tapping his heart. Rapunzel couldn't help it, she laughed. The rest of her friends beamed, having lifted her mood. Rapunzel was constantly happy and cheerful before the middle of their Third Year. Then It happened, and she was… so… different. She knew she was more distant, got upset more easily, but what really broke her heart was her friends trying so hard to make her laugh so they could be normal for a few seconds.

"I hate to break up the Breakfast Club, but we're here." Professor McCarthy said in a dry voice. It was still unfamiliar to hear orders from someone who looked their age but they tumbled out of the carriage obediently. Merida nudged Hiccup in the side as they walked up to the front doors.

"D'ya know what tha Braekfast Club is?" she muttered.

"Dunno." He said back. "It must be a Muggle thing."

Rapunzel smiled nervously as they entered the hall. New and old students looked up as they entered, the muttering and whispers starting to grow in noise. Rapunzel flushed nervously. The Sorting Hat on some little girl's head looked vaguely offended (if crumpled leather can have emotions) before it sang out,

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table exploded in cheers, which thankfully gave Rapunzel enough cover to sneak over to the Ravenclaw table without too much whispering. Jack gave her a thumbs up from the Slytherin table, but it did nothing to help her pounding heart. She slid onto a bench next to some unfamiliar looking Second Years. One looked up at her, still clothed in her Muggle clothes and muttered to the other,

"Who's she? A squib or something?" Rapunzel sighed and tried to ignore them. Most of the table was fussing over the new First Years, a boy with slicked back brown hair and a girl with long dirty blonde hair. She was just beginning to relax before a older girl- Seventh Year by the looks of it, plopped down next to her and said excitedly,

"Hey! I know you. You used to have the long hair and you dropped out of Hogwarts. Where'd you go? Why'd you leave?" Rapunzel sucked in a breath and tried to figure out how to answer her.

"I… er… it's a ver-" Thankfully the Sorting was over by then, and Headmaster Brones said loudly,

"Welcome to Hogwarts, First Years! I am aware we all want to eat, and that my predecessor would simply allow people to dig in after saying a few nonsense words-" The students twittered at such a obvious jab at Dumbledore. "- but I intend to get things over with quickly, albeit thoroughly. Firstly, the Divination classroom was moved to another wing of the castle last year. I am somewhat displeased to say that it is moving _again_- and this is a factor out of my control- to inside the Transfiguration classroom. Fear not, Professor McCarthy will still be teaching but the classroom will be used for dual purposes, so there may be leftover supplies from the other classes scattered around. Secondly, we are pleased to re-welcome Merida DunBrough, Jack Overland, Rapunzel Gothel-oh, I'm sorry, Rapunzel _Corona_ and Hiccup Haddock." Headmaster Brones didn't sound too delighted. Despite the fact he spoke in a monotone for the entire speech the Great Hall erupted in whispers. The Second Year beside Rapunzel whispered to her friend,

"What's re-welcome mean?" Headmaster Brones's face turned a deep red as he bellowed,

"Silence! Everyone, you must respect the adults in your life! In fact when I was a young wizard-"

"You were always a annoying old git." Someone from the Gryffindor table said loudly.

"Who said that?" Headmaster Brones roared. He was about to say more when Professor Bunnymund stepped up and said,

"Roight mate, we'll work on that later. All you little guppies, ya can eat." The Great Hall erupted in cheers as everyone dug into their food. Grateful that she was being ignored, Rapunzel dug into her first full meal in a year.

_You like it? You hate it? Please write what you think in the comments, follow or favorite. I have a couple different ideas of where this story will go, but it'll be focused on Rapunzel. Or rather, Rapunzel's hair. *evil laugh* _

_I'm trying to make this different from all the other Hogwarts fics but still focusing on the elements of Hogwarts. If you have any ideas or want this story to feature some other characters tell me!_

_The pairings are still undecided, so please leave a review and you can decide who you want. (If no one says anything I'm going for the default Jackpunzel and Merricup._


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